The Buffalo Sabres are still in the Connor Hellebuyck conversation, and the timing may be working in their favor.
Buffalo already kicked the tires on a deal for the Winnipeg Jets star before the 2026 NHL Draft, but the price never came down to a level the Sabres were willing to meet. Winnipeg’s opening ask reportedly included rising star Zach Benson, then later centered on the No. 4 overall pick. That was too steep, and the talks eventually cooled.
Now Hellebuyck has gone public with his trade request, and that changes the picture. With training camp approaching, Buffalo could revisit the situation to see whether Winnipeg’s stance has shifted.
The Fourth Period reported that the Sabres remain one of the teams with real interest in the three-time Vezina Trophy winner, alongside clubs that had previously been linked to him: the Carolina Hurricanes, Florida Panthers and New Jersey Devils.
“The Sabres are still believed to have serious interest in Hellebuyck and today's public declaration may move the needle with Buffalo or another club interested in his services,” TFP reported.
Winnipeg general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff responded with a statement that left the door open, but didn’t point to an imminent move before the 2026-27 season.
“Connor has been open with us about his desire for a change,” Cheveldayoff said. “He has been an important part of the Winnipeg Jets organization for many years and we have tremendous respect for what he has accomplished here. While we will continue to work through the situation in a thoughtful manner, there is no update at this time.”
There’s no question what Hellebuyck has been over the course of his career: one of the defining goaltenders of his generation and a near-certain Hockey Hall of Fame selection down the line. But the trade request doesn’t erase the rest of the equation.
He’s 33. He carries an $8.5 million salary-cap hit through 2031.
And last season, by his standards, was a step back, with a .895 save percentage in 57 games. The playoff numbers are even harder to ignore: a .870 save percentage over his last 23 postseason appearances dating back to 2023.
That’s why Winnipeg is unlikely to land a monster return, even with Hellebuyck’s stature. If last season was the start of a decline, that contract could become a real issue.
Still, for Buffalo, the upside is obvious. Peak Hellebuyck - or anything close to it - would be a major upgrade over the Sabres’ current goaltending group of Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Alex Lyon and Colten Ellis.
Jarmo Kekalainen has taken a deliberate approach this offseason. He moved Alex Tuch and Bowen Byram once it became clear they weren’t going to re-sign, and so far he has passed on making a splashy addition.
That patience might finally pay off.
Winnipeg tried to hold firm earlier in the summer, and there was even chatter that the Jets were trying to convince Hellebuyck to stay if the right offer never arrived. But once the goalie made his desire to move public, the balance of power changed.
It opens a path for Kekalainen to chase a true No. 1 without surrendering Benson or a top-five pick.
It still wouldn’t come cheap. Buffalo would likely need to part with a young forward such as Noah Ostlund, a prospect like Radim Mrtka, and a first-round pick. One of the team’s three goaltenders could also be part of the deal.
There’s risk in any move built around a goalie coming off a down season, but the Sabres have spent years searching for exactly this kind of difference-maker. When Buffalo has been at its most dangerous in recent decades, it’s been with an elite goalie in net - the kind of edge Dominik Hasek and Ryan Miller once gave them.
That’s why Hellebuyck remains such a tempting swing as camp gets closer. For Buffalo, it would be the kind of move that could change the mood around the team in a hurry.
In Other News...
Sabres Face A Ryan Johnson Decision That Could Cost Them Value
Ryan Johnson has always been valued more for what he prevents than what he produces. The 25-year-old defenseman brought a reputation for strong positioning and reliable defensive work into Buffalos system, and even with limited NHL experience and modest offensive numbers, he still looks like the kind of player who can fill a third-pair role if given the chance.
The problem for the Sabres is the math on the blue line. Buffalo has a crowded defense corps, and Johnson is so far down the pecking order that a real NHL opportunity does not appear close unless the team runs into injuries or another unexpected opening. For a club trying to manage every asset carefully, that leaves a tricky decision about how long to keep waiting on a player whose value may be clearer to other teams than it is in Buffalo right now. [Read more 🡒]
Sabres Wing Search Could Center On One Very Real Trade Target
The Sabres are still working through how to replace the offense they lost with the departures of Alex Tuch and Bowen Byram, and the search has naturally turned toward players who can help both immediately and in the room. Jarmo Kekalainen has been looking for additions who can supply scoring punch while also bringing some leadership, which makes this next stretch of the season worth watching as the trade market starts to take shape.
One name that fits the profile is Rickard Rakell, a 33-year-old winger with the Penguins who finished with 24 goals last season. Buffalo has been tied to the idea of adding a proven offensive piece, but Rakells situation is still tied to Pittsburghs own trajectory, since his value to the Penguins changes depending on where they stand in the playoff race. [Read more 🡒]
Sabres Young Core Suddenly Faces A Much Harder Follow Up
Buffalo finally turned a corner last season, ending its playoff drought by winning the Atlantic Division and then pushing through the first round before a seven-game loss to Montreal. Now the conversation shifts from arrival to follow-up, and for a team built around a young core, that can be the tougher test. Zach Benson, Josh Doan and Owen Power all sit at the center of that next step, with Buffalo counting on their growth to keep the momentum from last spring from fading in a stronger division.
The pressure is different now because the Sabres are no longer trying to prove they belong, but trying to stay there while the rest of the Atlantic sharpens around them. For Buffalo, the margin for error gets thinner if its promising young players merely repeat themselves instead of taking another step, and the season ahead will say plenty about whether last year was the start of something lasting or just a brief surge. [Read more 🡒]